Territory



(NovModeL) 2' Shets-Sheet 1. W. S. WILSON.

VEHICLE HEEL.

No. 427,286. 32 Patented May 6, 1890.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. S. WILSON. VEHICLE WHEEL.

No. 427,286. PatentedwMay 6, 1890 WITNESSES.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM SUTHERLAND WILSON, OF TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,286, dated May 6, 1890. Application filed February 13 1890. Serial No. 340,368. (No model.)

To all whom it nury concern.-

Be itknown that 1, WILLIAM SUTHEELAND WVILSON, of Tombstone, in the county of Cochise and Territory of Arizona, have invented 'a new and useful Improvement in Vehicle- WVheels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in vehicle wheels, especially to that class of wheels constructed entirely of metal, and has for its object to provide a simple and durable construction and a means whereby the tire of the wheel will be prevented from expandin g or contracting.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and

pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts inall the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wheel, partly in section, one of the hub-sections-being removed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one of the spgkes detached. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the tubular tierods removed from the spoke. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the Wheel, its hub, and box. Fig. 5 is an inner side View of one of the hub-sections detached. Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the box, illustrating the attachment thereto of the spokes. Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of the spoke-reel. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective View of one of the keys of the axle-box, and Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the inner box-section.

The axle-box of the hub is constructed in essentially three sections-namely, an inner section A, a casing-section B, and a spoke ring or sleeve 0.

The inner box-section A is preferably made of comparatively thin metal and essentially conical, and is provided at its extremities with an annular enlargement or ring 10, the said rings or enlargements being of sufficient diameter to snugly fit the interior of the casingsection B. Between the rings or enlargements 10 the said box-section Ahas produced therein a spiral slot and a series of apertures 12,

the apertures being countersunk at the inner face of said section. The apertures are adapted to act as cups to convey lubricant to and retain it in contact with the axle.

Thecasing-sectionBconsists of a tubeadapted to receive the inner section A, and having its exterior surface at the extremities threaded, as illustrated at 13 in Fig. 4. Upon the center of the casing-section the spoke-ring C is placed, the said ring being made in the character of a sleeve 14, as best illustrated in Fig. 7, which sleeve is adapted to slide snugly over the casing-section B, and is provided upon its peripheral surface at its center with a series of circumferentially-arranged studs 15, and at each side of said studs diametrical slots 16 are produced in the sleeve. The sleeve is held in position upon the casing-section B by means of staples 17, which are introduced into diametrically-opposite faces of the casing-section B at each side of its center, as best shown in Fig. 4, the saidcasing being provided with apertures to receive the members of the staples, and the members of the staples are ordinarily of .sufficient length to extend downward within suitable apertures formed in the inner section A of the box, whereby the cams ing-section and inner section are securely bound together. The staples are detachable, and they secure the spoke-sleeve G to the box by their inner ends being introduced into the diametrical slots 16 of said sleeve.

The hub is made in two sections D and D, which sections are semicircular, being flat upon their inner faces, as illustrated at d in Figs. 5 and 6, and conical upon their outer faces, as shown at d in Fig. 4. The periph eral surface of each hub-section is provided with a flange 18, bent upward and inward over the fiat face (1, and in the said flange a series of preferably semi-oval cavities or depressions 19 is formed for the reception of the spokes 20'of the wheel, and the flat inner face of each hub-section is provided with a channel 21 below each cavity 19 of the flange. These channels 21 are semiconical in general contour and vanish before they approach the center of the sections. Each hubsection is fitted with a suitable bore 22, of sufficient diameter to snugly slide over the casing-section B of the box and the spoke-sleeve O, and

in the bore 22 of each section diametricallyopposite key-slots 23 are produced, the said key-slots being adapted to receive the upper surfaces of the staples 17, extending beyond the peripheral surface of the casing-section B and spoke-ring or sleeve-section O of the box. The hub-sections are held in contact with one another and in close contact with the spokes 20 by means of adust-cup 24, screwed upon the threaded outer end of the box, which dust-cup is provided with an integral or an attached nut-section 25, whereby it may be readily turned, and asleeve 26 screwed upon the opposite or inner threaded end of the box, as shown in Fig. 4, which sleeve is also provided with an integral or attached section 25, the sleeve 26 being adapted also, in addition to tying the hub-sections to place, to receive the shoulder of the axle-spindle.

The felly E is preferably made of a single piece of metal, although it may be constructed of a number of united sections, the said metal being bent upon itself and made to assume a U-shaped contour in cross-section, as best shown in Fig. 4, and at each side of the felly upon the inner face a packing ring or washer 27 is rigidly secured, while in the bottom wall of said felly a series of apertures is produced, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The spokes 20 are tubular, as best shown in Fig. 2, and are preferably round at their outer ends and flattened at their inner extremities, both of the extremities being reenforced by an external ring 28. The outer end of each spoke is dished to fit the cylindrical inner or bottom wall of the felly, and the inner end is flattened in order that it may be slid over and neatly fit the contour of the studs 15 of the spoke-sleeve O, which are ordinarily made oval. WVhen the spokes are fitted over the sleeve-studs, their outer dished ends contact with the inner closed cylindrical surface of the felly and fit neatly thereto.

The spokes are held in position at the top by means of tubular tie-r0ds 29, (illustrated in detail in Fig. 3,) one of which tubular tierods is passed through each aperture in the base-wall of the felly and into the spoke immediately beneath it. These tie-rods are made in two diameters, the lower diameter being sufficient to snugly fit within the spoke, and the shoulder produced on. the enlarged upper section of the tie-rod is curved or convexed to fit the inner concaved base-wall of the felly, as illustrated at 30 in Fig. 3. The tubular tie-rods are closed at the top and bottom, and in their upper enlarged surfaces at each side an aperture 31 is formed; A tiresection 32 is provided for the felly, having upon its inner face near each edge a channel 33, adapted to receive the outer edges of the felly E, and the said tire-section is secured to the said felly in any suitable or approved manner.

In one side of the felly, at any convenient point, an opening is made, ordinarily closed by a screw-cap, into which opening sufficient oil and water are introduced to essentially fill the space within the felly and likewise the tubular tie-rods of the spoke. The water and oil are used in summer, and alcohol is substituted in winter. This liquid acts as a heatdistributer, and prevents the expansion of the tire-section by heat generated by the friction of a brake or the locking of the wheel when going down long mountain grades, for instance. This improvement is especially valuable when used in connection with very heavy wagons. The tubular tie-rods 29 serve to sustain the direct pressure of the tire, and also to remove about one-half the weight from the felly.

I desire it to be distinctly understood that while specific construction has been shown and described, equivalent construction may be employed Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut- 1. In a vehicle-wheel, a hub-box consisting of an inner tapering section having a ring at each end, and provided between said rings with a longitudinal slot and apertures, a casing-section into which the tapering section is fitted, and a spoke-sleeve fitted upon the casing-section and provided with a series of studs to receive the spokes, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a vehicle-wheel, an axle-box consisting of an inner tapering section provided with a ring at each-extremity, a spiral slot between said rings, and a series of apertures also between the rings, a casing-section adapted to receive the tapering section and threaded at its extremities, a spoke-sleeve fitted upon the casing-section, provided with a series of circumferentially-arranged studs adapted to re ceive one end of the spokes, and longitudinal slots at each end of said sleeves, and staples detachably passed through the inner and easing sections of the box and through the slots of the spoke-sleeve, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination, with a box and conical hub-sections secured to said box, each hub-section being provided with an inner peripheral-flange containing a series of cavities, of a series of spokes passed through the cavities of the hub-sections and united to the axle-box, substantiallyas shown and described.

4. The combination, with an axle-box having secured at its center a spoke-sleeve provided with a series of circumferentially-arranged studs, of hub-sections secured to the box at each side of the sleeve-studs, the said hub-sections being each provided with a peripheral inwardly-inclined flange upon its inner face containing a series of cavities, and spokes having one end attached to the felly of the wheel and the other end passed through the cavities of the hub-sections and over the studs of the spoke-sleeve, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with an axle-box comprising an inner tapering section enlarged at its ends and provided with a spiral slot between its ends and with apertures, a casingsection inclosing the tapering section, a spokesleeve attached to the center of the casingsection, provided with slots at each side of the center, and a series of central circumferentially-arranged studs, and staples passed through the casing-and tapering sections and through the slots of the spoke-sleeve, of hubsections having a conical exterior surface and a flat inner surface and provided with a central bore containing key-slots, and a peripheral flange having cavities produced therein, and'tubular spokes secured at one end to the telly ot the wheel and passed at the other end through the cavities of the hub-sections over the studs of the spoke-sleeve, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, with an axle-box, provided with a spoke-sleeve attached to its center, having circumterentially-arranged studs secured thereto, hub-sections secured to the box at each side of the spoke-sleeve, provided with an inner peripheral flange containing cavities,'a nd an essentially U-shaped hollow telly one of said rods being passed through the telly into each of the spokes, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

7. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination of an essentially U shaped telly, spokes bearing against the inner face of the telly, a tire-section covering the outer members of the telly, and hollow tie-rods uniting the spokes and telly, said tie-rods being apertured and having closed ends; substantially as shown and described.

8. In a vehicle-Wheel, the combination, with a U shaped telly, spokes bearing against the inner face of the telly, and a tire-section secured to the outer members of the telly, 0t shouldered tie-rods uniting the spokes and telly and contacting the inner face of the the section, substantially as shown and described.

WILLIAM SUTHERLAND WILSON.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN MONTGOMERY, JOHN J. PATTON. 

